Page 146 of A Chance at Redemption for the Alpha

“So many decorations,” I chuckle.

She smacks me playfully. “Don’t complain, you will love it.”

I grab her hand, kissing it. “I am sure I will.”

She blushes slightly. “What do you want to eat tonight? I thought I could cook something for us.”

“A homemade meal?” I blurt out. “That would be amazing!”

“I am not that good,” she admits. “I can only do the basics.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I hurry to convince her, my heart skipping a beat at the thought of a date night, with a home-cooked meal. “I will love anything you cook. I can help, too.”

“You can help by unloading the car once we are at home,” she offers. “I think both of us together would certainly ruin this cooking adventure.”

“You are right,” I grin. “Remember last weekend when Silas wanted to show us how to prepare a turkey?”

“Poor Lord Silas,” she grins.

“Poor turkey,” I add.

We both chuckle. “Let’s wait until his lessons have finished before we try something fancy together,” Lori says.

I close the trunk and take her hand. “Come, there is one more place I want to go with you.”

“And where’s that?” she asks curiously.

I don’t say anything and instead lead her to a jewelry shop. I researched it previously, making sure it’s a place that’s worthy enough to get a gift for my mate. Tomorrow is my gamma ceremony, and Lori and I have made sure to both get new outfits. Now the only thing missing is accessories.

Lori is stunned when I lead her into the shop. The shop clerk looks up, smiling when he sees us. “You must be Mr. Morris.”

“Thank you for having us,” I say, shaking his hand. “This is my girlfriend,” I say, gesturing towards Lori. “I want her to pick something.”

No, Benjamin, I can’t,she links me.

Of course you can!I say with emphasis.I love you, and I want to gift you something. Just pick something you like. It would make me so happy!

Really?She asks.No one has ever…She pauses.Really?

“I want her to choose something she truly likes,” I tell the shop clerk. I have talked to him beforehand and insisted he not look at the price. For an hour or so, he and Lori go through severalpieces until she has found a beautiful set, a necklace and bracelet with fitting earrings and a ring. It’s an intricate design set with beautiful sapphires.

I am so happy she allowed me to buy something for her.

“You know this wasn’t necessary?” she asks me.

“It doesn’t always need to be necessary,” I say. “A lot of things aren’t. Yet I want us to have them.”

She smiles. “I am so used to only getting the bare minimum that this is new for me. Oh, and you bet I will give you something in return!”

“Honestly, you literally are the one renovating our cottage,” I point out. “That’s much more than I am doing. It’s not transactional. You accepted me despite your past and my past, and while I was still a nobody.”

She looks at me thoughtfully. “It’s not transactional,” she says. “But you never were a nobody. I instantly felt drawn to you.”

“Really?” I ask,

She bumps her shoulder against mine. “Really.”

We both laugh like two silly teenagers, only stopping when we come across a well-known couple. “Nova!” Lori exclaims. “And Julianus.”